Brother Jasper Posing For A Photo around Campus for the Mascot Challenge.
JEFFCHERUBINI/COURTESY
By Matty Schule, Staff Writer
Manhattan College’s Exercise Is Medicine – On Campus Program (EIM-OC) was recently recognized as being gold level standard by the American College of Sports and Medicine (ACSM). Exercise Is Medicine is a global initiative managed and organized by the ACSM which seeks “to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care,” according to exerciseismedicine.org.
The program was brought to the college by Jeff Cherubini, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology, after his participation at ACSM.
Cherubini explained that “Gold level recognition is based on activities related to physical activity promotion on campus, providing physical activity education and guidance, and implementing physical activity assessment and promotion in campus health.”
Programs instituted at various organizations across the country work to promote physical activity as a form of treatment for various health issues.
“The recognition validates all the good work our kinesiology students, health services, and campus recreation and wellness staff have been doing this past year,” Cherubini said.
Programs are recognized as receiving bronze, silver or gold levels, dependent on their successful promotion of physical activity across their institutions. Bronze-level activities established outreach through numerous means, including the President’s Proclamation. Signed by President Riverso in October 2023, it officially declared Oct. as Exercise is Medicine month.
Another way the program helped promote physical activity was through getting Brother Jasper involved in the International Mascot Challenge, where our school’s mascot posed in various locations around campus engaging in and motivating students to participate in physical activity across campus.
The silver level highlights the promotion of physical activity through providing education and guidance. This involved the creation of the JasperFit Mentors program, a collaboration between the kinesiology department, health services, and the Office of Student Engagement. JasperFit Mentors are kinesiology students who serve to provide motivation and social support to their fellow students on the importance of engaging in physical activity.
“As part of my role I teach a group fitness class, pilates, once a week on campus,” Carina Ashman, the student representative of the Exercise is Medicine program, said. “It’s been rewarding to see students come to my classes and come back each week, and express how these classes have helped them improve their overall fitness. Having fitness offerings on campus is important for students who want to get started but don’t know where to start. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to teach this class and help students in their fitness journey.”
Gold level recognition is the implementation of a physical activity assessment for every student who visits Health Services, and a system for referring exercise as a prescription for incoming students. The program has been able to reach this level of recognition thanks to the successful collaboration of various departments across campus including health services, the Office of Student Engagement, and the students and faculty working in the kinesiology department.
When asked about why exercise is so important for living a healthy lifestyle, Cherubini discussed how physical activity has benefits that go beyond the boundaries of physical health.
“Any amount of daily physical activity comes with a plethora of biological (how we feel physically), subjective (how we feel mentally), and functional (how well we navigate life) health benefits,” Cherubini said. “And the more we get, the better everyday emotions, engagement and purpose we experience. All positive and all good!”